Distributing newsletters via email, SMS, Teams, and Slack
Updated 4 days ago
Overview
Simpplr's Employee Newsletter supports delivery across multiple channels in a single send. You can reach employees wherever they are via email, SMS, Microsoft Teams, or Slack without creating separate newsletters for each channel.
Note: newsletters are not required to be distributed via email. You can use any combination of channels.
Available distribution channels
Channel | How it works |
|---|---|
Delivered to recipients' inboxes. Recipients can also view it in-browser via the intranet. | |
SMS | A text message with a link to view the newsletter in a browser. Sent to users with a valid mobile number in their profile. |
Microsoft Teams | Shared to a Teams channel or sent as a direct message to connected users. |
Slack | Shared to a Slack channel or sent as a direct message to connected users. |
How to configure distribution channels
When building your newsletter, navigate to the Distribution step and select one or more channels.
SMS notes:
SMS delivery does not honour app-wide notification settings, recipients will receive the SMS regardless of their notification preferences.
SMS is only available if enabled at the app level (Manage > Application > Setup > SMS notifications). If SMS is disabled, it will not appear as a distribution option.
Sharing to Microsoft Teams
Prerequisites:
The Microsoft Teams integration must be enabled at the application level.
Your own Simpplr account must be connected to your Teams account (View profile > Contact > Messaging).
Two ways to share to Teams:
While creating the newsletter – under Distribution, click Share to Microsoft Teams, then select the applicable team and channel.
After sending – go to Manage > Newsletters, click the ellipsis (...) > Edit on your newsletter, click Next, then select Share to Microsoft Teams.
When your organisation has multiple Teams tenants connected, you can select the specific tenant, team, and channel for each share.
Sharing to Slack
Prerequisites:
The Slack integration must be enabled at the application level.
Your Simpplr account must be connected to your Slack account.
Options when sharing to Slack:
DM (direct message) – send directly to individual Slack users who have connected their accounts.
Channel post – post to a Slack channel you have access to.
You can also share from the newsletter listing page: go to Manage > Newsletters, click the ellipsis (...) to open the Share to Slack menu. From this modal, you can only send to channels (not individual recipients).
When your organisation has multiple Slack workspaces connected, you can select the specific workspace and channel for each share.
Note: you can only distribute to Slack channels you have access to. No Slack permissions are overwritten by Simpplr.
Multi-channel analytics
You can filter newsletter analytics by distribution channel in the Newsletter analytics view, and further refine by department and location.
Common scenarios
Multiple regional workspaces – post a region-specific newsletter to the Slack workspace or Teams tenant used by that region.
Departmental channels – share to a Finance channel in Slack and an HR channel in Teams separately from the same newsletter.
Hybrid delivery – send a channel post for broad visibility and use direct messages for targeted audiences who have connected their accounts.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Do I have to send my newsletter via email?
Ans: No. Email is not required — you can distribute your newsletter using any combination of email, SMS, Microsoft Teams, and Slack.
Q: Will employees receive an SMS even if they've turned off notifications?
Ans: Yes. SMS delivery does not honour app-wide notification settings, so recipients with a valid mobile number will receive the SMS regardless of their notification preferences.
Q: Why can't I see SMS as a distribution option?
Ans: SMS must be enabled at the app level under Manage > Application > Setup > SMS notifications. If it hasn't been enabled, it won't appear as an option when configuring distribution.
Q: Can I share a newsletter to Teams or Slack after it's already been sent?
Ans: Yes, for Microsoft Teams. Go to Manage > Newsletters, click the ellipsis (...) > Edit on the newsletter, click Next, then select Share to Microsoft Teams. For Slack, you can share from the newsletter listing page via the ellipsis (...) menu, but this option only supports posting to channels, not individual recipients.
Q: Can I send a newsletter as a direct message on Slack?
Ans: Yes, but only while creating the newsletter. Direct messages can be sent to individual Slack users who have connected their accounts; the post-send sharing option only supports channel posts.
Q: What happens if my organisation has multiple Teams tenants or Slack workspaces connected?
Ans: You can choose the specific tenant, team, and channel (for Teams) or workspace and channel (for Slack) each time you share.
Q: Can Simpplr post to a Slack channel I don't have access to?
Ans: No. You can only distribute to Slack channels you already have access to, and Simpplr does not override any existing Slack permissions.
Q: Can I see how each channel performed separately?
Ans: Yes. You can filter newsletter analytics by distribution channel in the Newsletter analytics view, and further refine results by department and location.
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